Aerating apparatus



Patented Sepe 16, 1930 lPA'r-lmii OFFICE ERNEST MILLMATHER, OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND AERATING APPARATUS Application flied August 21, 1529. seriai No. 387,367.

The present 'invention relates to bath aerating apparatus, and has particular reference tobapparatus suitable for insertion in bathtu s.

One obj ect of the invention is to provide a portable device of this character.

Another object of the invention is to provide a self-sealing construction which will prevent entrance of water in the air supply tube.

A further object is to simplify the manufacture and the construction of devices of this character.

A still further object is to provide a cushion support for the body securely mounted on the rack.

Other-objects and advantageous features will be readily apparent from the detailed description following, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, and will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, showing the improved aerating device in position in a bath tub;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the device, showing the rack for supporting the bather;

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the aerating conduits; and

Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional detail showing the aerating openings.

It is found in practice that there is a lealiage of water into the aerating conduits during use, with the result that the water renders parts of the aerating conduits inoperative and thus prevents the desired uniformity of flow and of pressure. I have therefore devised an aerating apparatus which includes a series of aerating conduits, each conduit having a plurality of small self-sealing openings; and the following is a detailed vdescription of a preferred constructional embo-diment of my invention.

Referring to the drawings, 10 designates the usual form of bath tub in which a rack member 11 of suitable size and shape may be positioned. This rack member may be constructed of any suitable material, galvanized iron or zinc being preferable, and includes a body member 12 formed with channels 13 therein, a series of channel members 14 secured to the body member, preferably by welding, being positioned over the channels 13 and having transverse slits or slots 15 extending along the length thereof. Strips of rubber or the like 16 which, for example, may be of sponge rubber, are positioned on the body member 12 between adjacent side walls of the channel member 14:

to comfortably support the body of the bather, and Amay be secured in position in any desired manner. Y

,The aerating supply structure includes a header 17, preferably of metal, having an inletl connection 18 to which a flexible conduit 19 may be detachably connected, and a series of spaced outlet connections 20, each of which is detachably connected to aerating conduits 21 adapted to be inserted and positioned within the channels 13.

Each'aerating conduit 21 is preferably formed of flexible, resilient or elastic material, such as rubber, is closed at the free end, as by a plug 22, and has a series of small Vspaced aligned apertures 23 in the upper portion thereof, normally positioned below the slits or slots 15. The apertures 23 are sufliciently small to permit water-tight closing thereof by the inherent elasticity of the aerating conduit material. The rack is provided with end channels 24, 25 adapted to enclose the ends of thechannels and channel members. V

The operation of the improved aerating device is as follows:

Air, which may be carbonated or perfumed, or heated, if desired, is admitted under pressure to the aerating conduits 21 through the header 17 the pressure slightly expands each conduit 21, thus opening the apertures 23 and permitting the air to gently bubble through the bath water and beneficially react on the bather to soothe and rest the nerves. Then the air supply is shut ofi", the apertures 23 shut and prevent entrance of water into the aerating conduits.

While I have described a specific embodiment of my invention, desired changes in structure or arrangement to suit the needs of particular installations lmay .obviously be ymade, yWithin the scope of invention'as defined in the appended claims.

I claim: j

l. In a-.loathv aerating apparatus; a1 bodyk y member having channelsy thereinrl-closure members.l for saidilchannelshaving side Walls p' andrbottomv Walls, said Vbottoml wallshaving a plurality of spaced slits along the length f thereof, supports` positioned "between" side Walls of adJacentclosure members forlsup- "Y porting 'a bather,A and aerating'conduits'V in 1 said channels having self-.closing-apertnres,

along the length thereof opening under'pre's;

Vsure.rk any.. Y, 42. In a. bath aeratingapparatus,y a body member having channels thereimm closure y membersfforfsaid channels vhaving side Walls `andbottomWalls,.said bottom Walls having a plurality'ofspacedslits along theflength y thereof, supports positioned between side rWalls-fof adjacenty closure members forsupv sporting, a bather, andy aerating conduits inl ,sa/id: channels having aligned self-closingap lftllfe along the length thereof opening under pressure- Y,

3.Inabath aerating apparatusabody member having channels therein, closure members for said channels having-side. .Walls y' f valongthe length'thereofarranged to open v7.*'In-afbathaeratingapparatus, a rack l having Ychannels therein, said channelsrhav-v 'Y ing spaced openings along thetop Walls 7 .v

thereof, aeratingconduits formed of rubber VinY said channels having self-closing aperf 7U* tures along thejlength thereof adapted to vfopenunder internal pressure',and-gstrips of cushioninggmaterial between "said channels n' forthe support of thebather. Y Y t 8. In a bath vaerating apparatus, a" rack 7;, having channels thereingisaid l channels having lspaced openingsalong the top-*Walls 'Y thereof, yaerating conduits formed of rubber in said channelshaving self-closing apertures ,and bottom Walls, said'bottom Walls having i v a. pluralityA of spaced slits alongthevlength i .l 1' 1thereof resilient supports positionedv bei `tit/een sidewalls of adjacent closure members for sulzportinga.` batherv.andzaeratingcomduits in said channels having-apertures alongl .the length thereof. t f

Il.V In abath aeratng apparatus, avbody Y member havingparalleh channels therein,

,closure` members Vfor said channelshaving side Walls bottom Walls, said lbottom Walls havinga plurality` of vspaced slitsalong the length vthereof,V supports f positioned between side Walls of adjacent closure members i for supporting a bather, aerating conduitsin -V said channels having lself-,closing apertures having apertures along ythe lengththereof, Y

` alongthe length thereofopening under pressure,.asupply header, and connect-ions vbe-v v Y Atweensaid conduits and saidsupply header. .i

l 5.`In aV bath aerating apparatus,-abody member having kchannels therein, with open? ings extending along the topp Walls offsaid channels, aerating conduits inY said channels andfcushioning supports on said kbodT memberfbetweenthe channels to support the bather;

["56. a rbathaerating .apparatus,a.v body member having channels therein, with `spaced openings extending along the top .Walls of said channels, aerating conduits'in said channels having apertures along the length thereof, and Vcushioningsupports formed of strips of sponge` rubber on said bodymemberV bevtween channels to.V support the bather.

isoV

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